


Goodbye, Commander

by ReplicaWrites



Category: Overwatch (Video Game), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Drama & Fluff, Imperial Pilot!Gabriel, M/M, Mccree's hat dissing lol, Rebel Commander!Jack, Star Wars!au, eventual smut later on, fict with art, sad dads, they're just huge dorks trying their best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 06:50:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8239949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReplicaWrites/pseuds/ReplicaWrites
Summary: Gabriel Reyes' last mission as Imperial fighter pilot doesn't go as expected.Aka the Star Wars AU no one asked for.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here, have the fic that started as a joke ("It'll be max 3K words, don't worry" - PFFF) but went way further than I planned.  
> It's not the first thing I've ever written but it's definitely my first long fic so please, be patient with me :') Also English is not my first language and I'm no writer.
> 
> The events of this story are set some years after the Empire took over. The mentions of the 181st Fighter Wing are inspired by canon events in the SWEU, but they're just used as a base so don't expect accuracy. I apologize for eventual mistakes you may find.
> 
> HUGE thanks to my Beta, Rob, who reviewed the fic even tho she was not feeling well ; v ; <3 Te se ama.

He had been so damn stupid. So unbelievably mindless.

But it was him who had accepted the mission, and he only had himself to blame at the end.

Honestly speaking, all he wanted to do was curl in a corner, sulk over his problems with a strong drink in hand and eventually disappear forever but, unfortunately, he was too busy fighting for dear life in an open space battle with the Rebels at that specific moment.

His original task had been to reach an ex-AgriCorp planet called Tanaab, in an insignificant quadrant of the Galaxy forgotten even by the Empire itself. A place that, apparently, was still strongly held by Rebel forces.  
Not that Gabriel hadn’t known. He wasn’t born yesterday. He had just been a pretentious and naive dick to believe there was some honesty in his superior's words, that was all. 

_"Commander Reyes, I expect nothing but the best from you in this simple mission: you are required to patrol, retrieve a lost cargo and come back to base. You will be a ghost, as your usual”_ , the admiral had said to him, in that low, unapologetic voice of his.

What could he have done, decline the mission and shame himself in the eyes of the Colonel right there, in his office? He had had no choice.

 

At that time, the pilot thought he had also read many more unsaid words in the entrusting of this task. He believed that, after the purge Colonel Fel had operated, things were going to take a new turn. 

After all, the removing from position of the lazy and the un-dedicated members from his Legion had been something Gabriel had been waiting for a long, long time. It was an opportunity for the truly valid officers to start anew. An opportunity for someone _like him._

But apparently his superiors had thought he was expendable as well, unworthy of serving the now purged Squad.

 

“Oh for Force’s sake, this is a fucking outrage!” He was swearing profusely while trying to isolate the damage at best he could, tasting the full flavor of bitter helplessness in his mouth. 

Some damn rebels had successfully put down a fully trained pilot of the Empire such as he was. Going through all that trouble and hard work to become an officer, only to see himself be taken down by three cowards was _Un-fucking-believable._

Gabe had come from dust, no status, no riches. But he had made his family proud nonetheless.  
He had enlisted for the pilot program and had brilliantly passed all the tests, physical and psychological. One of the brightest cadets of his year. It had finally been his time to shine. 

However he had been assigned to the lax, lazy and infamous 181st Fighter Wing, an Elite TIE Squadron. Probably the worst thing that ever happened to him, since it eventually brought him to his death.

Because yes, he was definitely about to die since the Rebel X-wing’s blasters had managed to shoot down the main propulsor of his black and red Saber Interceptor - “Reaper”, as Gabe affectionately called it - and he was slowly but steadily losing control of his fighter. He had skillfully managed to avoid the explosion of the engine, but for how long? And anyway, he was gravitating near the planet. He was about to crash on the surface of Tanaab.

After some excruciating tentatives to stay in orbit, the sudden impact with the thick atmosphere of the planet sent his frontal screen on fire as he realized with horror he was quickly getting nearer and nearer to the surface. He had to attempt an emergency landing, though - he wasn’t one to give up so easily. It wasn’t even the first time he had performed such risky maneuver, but the damage he had received was not comparable to the current one, and he had been with his squad, not alone. 

He had to try this for himself, for his mother and sisters, and, in case, for the sake of the mission, on which depended all of his future career.  
He could just imagine the incredulous expression the Colonel would have made, seeing a pilot return successful from a suicide mission. But, you know, that wasn’t really likely to happen, given the circumstances.

To slow the fall, he immediately tried with the front propulsors, only to find them partially down as well, damaged in the fight that had just concluded with his defeat. “Better than nothing”, he thought as he activated what was left of them. He moved all his ailerons and spoilers in position and waited for the best.  
The situation was considerably improved, but of course _gravity is a bitch._

As he braced himself for the impact, his last thoughts went to his mother, to what she used to tell him: _“You have something special in you, Gabi, I know that. You will find what you’re looking for at the end.”_ Those big dark eyes of hers were truly earnest then, as if what she was saying was an undeniable truth.

Then his TIE hit the ground and his vision went dark.

\----

When he heard the sudden and unexpected sound of an approaching aircraft and, then, that one of a dreadful crashing, he was absentmindedly glancing at the clock.

**\- 6 pm -**

He immediately stood from his chair beside the table, next to the window, and ran to his bed’s nightstand just a few meters away. He opened the second drawer and drew his blaster pistol from it. Though it hadn’t been used for years, the weapon wasn’t dusty at all, his owner mindful to keep it clean… _just in case._

After all, one of those who remained faithful to the Republic - or at least to the idea of liberty the institution held - such as himself, was now to be considered a Rebel by the new Galactic Empire. The Emperor had butchered the previous institution from within, but there was nothing Commander Jack Morrison could have done at the time. 

Jedi against Jedi - not stuff fit for him. He was just a military officer. 

After some moments of hesitation, his ear alert for any other sound, he slid the door to his facility open and stepped outside. He was greeted by the familiar vision of a corn field. 

The sky was going dull - it was about to rain soon.

Just some hundreds meters away though, behind the wall the crops made, he saw a column of smoke slowly rising in the sky. Pistol tight in his hand, he made his way towards the crashing.

\----

Some raindrops started to fall lightly as he encountered the wreck of an Imperial TIE Fighter, one of those from elite squads, he presumed from the slightly uncommon conformation of the vehicle. The machine was badly damaged, fire was enveloping the rear part. 

_“Who would send a pilot to this quadrant?”_ , Jack thought to himself. _“Someone who wants said pilot dead.”_ he mentally concluded.

He carefully stepped closer to the wreckage, minding the debris scattered on the ground. It was quite a dangerous move, since the fighter could explode at any moment, but he had to make sure the pilot was still in there. Already dead, if the fellow was lucky. Or if they weren’t… Jack had to take care of them.

The external surface of the front screen was partially melted, presumably from the temperature it had reached during the harsh falling through the air, so it was quite hard to see the cockpit, but suddenly he spotted the silhouette of a pilot still inside. Kicking the broken parts away he made his way into the cabin: the body was lying motionless, seat belts still in place. The head was hanging down.

Jack checked for pulse and was surprised to find some, even if very weak. He unplugged the air hose attached to the helmet and proceeded to remove the object from the pilot’s head. 

The man had a huge bruise on his cheekbone but for the rest he looked quite fine.  
_“More than fine...”_ a intrusive part of his mind supplied. _“Not now!”_ , his rationality intervened.

Thousands of options came to his mind at that moment: should he just shoot the man in the head and be done with it, or should he keep him alive and alert the rebel base instead? This man was an officer, he could recognize his uniform. He would _never_ talk willingly.  
Or maybe… should Jack interrogate the pilot and try to see what he could educe from him?

The idea sounded rather risky but the air was turning unbreathable because of the fire - he had to decide quickly. He collected all of the cold blood he possessed.

One more glance on the man’s injured face and he withdrew the pistol, tucking it in the back of his trousers. He unfastened the seat belts and pulled the body up with some difficulty - the suit was heavy. In that moment he realized one of the man’s legs, due to the impact probably, was now curved at an odd angle - broken shinbone for sure. 

Jack then left the burning fighter aircraft behind as fast as he could, rain now fully unleashing its power onto the planet, and made it back to his facility, stepping through the crops, that were fortunately unharmed - this man had had the decency not to land on the field but on the dirt road. Good to know that avoiding a blaze was still common sense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for having read this ; v ; Lemme know what you think!!!
> 
> My tumblr is http://replica-004.tumblr.com/ tho :)


	2. Chapter 2

It was getting darker and darker outside as the door slid open again. Jack stepped in the facility station: he was soaked, and so was the body in his arms. After a moment of hesitation, he placed the man on his bed and inspected his face better this time. 

A relatively tidy haircut and beard - definitely an officer. Strong nose and thin parted lips. Scarred brown skin that was now slightly pale. Long thick lashes adorned his closed eyes...

He realized he had been staring for a bit too long. “Aaalright, better to clean this wound and check for other ones. Then the leg.” Jack said as if to give himself a tone of decency.  
While he was filling a bucket with warm water and searching for a clean towel, his mind went at the wreckage - he was wet from head to toe but at least the fire was being taken care of. 

Military as he was, Jack searched for a pistol before starting the patching up - he found one in a holster tied on the pilot’s thigh. If, for any reason, the man was waking up unexpectedly, he wasn’t gonna find Jack unprepared. 

The wound on his cheekbone wasn’t that deep at the end, the amount blood had been misleading. He first removed the man’s heavy combat boots, then proceeded with the gloves and the upper part of his black pilot suit. Removing clothes from an unconscious person he didn’t even know made him definitely uncomfortable - but if he wanted this thing to work he had to be sure the guy stayed alive.

The tight black shirt the man was wearing under the space suit was soaked with sweat and bared a dark stain of drying blood over his right arm. The most reasonable thing to do was to remove it, so Jack retrieved a sharp knife and started cutting out the sleeves and then rest of the shirt. 

He cleaned the cut on the pilot’s arm at best he could, given his relative knowledge on first aid learned from the military, then bandaged everything up. 

His main problem had got to be the leg, since he didn’t know how to properly treat it, but in the end he opted for the old good stick-and-bandage method. “It will do”, he told himself.

He finished the job and took a deep breath. Then he headed to the sink to wash his bloody hands, feeling tired but slightly pleased with himself for having done a neat work - the wounds weren’t at risk of infection, and considering the situation, that much was a lot. 

Back at the bed, for the third time that day, Jack found himself starting at the stranger’s face. Color was now slowly returning to his skin, his features relaxing and his breathing getting regular and peaceful. His fingers lightly brushed over the warm cheek, but he instantly withdrew his hand.

Common sense would have had Jack chain the man’s wrists - _“But it’s not like he’s getting anywhere from here. He can’t even stand to reach the door button with that broken leg.”_ He thought. _“And also that would make him realize he’s a prisoner in a moment.”_

Yeah, because, while he was medicating the pilot, Jack was also thinking of an actual way to make him talk what he knew. The plan was still vague but his priority was to avoid making him feel threatened, that was for sure.

Jack would have to wear a facade for the sake of this task. He’s always been a more-than-decent liar after all...to his subordinates, to his relatives…

_To himself…_

He gathered both the pistols, his and the one he had confiscated from the man, and hid them in a closet in the adjacent room, where he stored all the various supplies and resources. He would tell him he didn’t find it when he saved him.  
And in any case, Jack was trained enough to be able to efficiently subdue another person. Not very honorable to do so on an injured man, but if the opportunity came, Jack wouldn’t hesitate. His beliefs were still strong, and at the end of the day, this man was only a minion of the Enemy, even if he was the most attractive man Jack had ever seen.

\----

Waking up, the first emotion that Gabe’s dazed brain processed was _disbelief._

It wasn’t the fact that he appeared to be in unfamiliar but relatively safe surroundings, lying in a comfortable bed with warm blankets over his body. Or that it looked like some had taken care of him,since his clothes were half gone. 

He was shocked because he would have never expected to be alive in the first place. He should have been dead…

Of course he had hoped the landing to be successful somehow, but in his experience, every time Gabriel had hoped for something, the situation managed to end in the shittiest way possible. The assignment to the 181st had been a fitting example. 

He groaned as he blinked in the semi-obscurity of the environment, trying to clench his hands and stretch his limbs, but as soon as he moved his leg a dart of burning electricity made him shake and gurgle in pain. His vision threatened to falter as a shadowy figure approached from his right.

“Stop moving, your leg is broken”, a deep raspy voice commanded. The figure placed a hand on his shoulder to try to keep him still, but Gabe caught the person’s wrist and shoved them away.

“Don’t touch me!”, he screamed as he tried to fight off the mixture of adrenaline, blinding pain and panic. 

“I won’t touch you but you need to stop moving, or you’ll reopen the wounds”

“What?”, he tried to understand, still feeling stunned as fuck. Getting up on his elbows his hand went to his hostler, only to find that his weapon was missing. “Where is my gun?”

The figure stood still in the darkness for some brief moments before reaching the nearest light switch. Gabe covered his face with a hand, light suddenly too bright for his unfocused eyesight. 

While his sight got accustomed to the illumination, the person in front of him didn’t try anything suspicious. They just waited. 

After a short while the figure finally came into focus: it was a man approximately in his late thirties, tall and muscular - his face, Gabriel thought, was unnervingly perfect, with wild blond hair, strong jaw and a pair striking blue eyes. His appearance was reassuring, but Gabe was a wary type.

“Who are you?” he inquired without midterms.

“You landed on my field… well, not on the crops, and I’ve got to thank you for that.” the man replied, a small smile curling the corners of his lips and softening his gaze. 

“The spot was accidental…”, Gabe replied absentmindedly as he was starting to calm down. He swiftly inspected the room: he appeared to be in a station, quite small but functional and tidy. Apart from the bed he was lying on, he could see a small sofa in front of a screen which was hanging on the wall, a table with two chairs near a window and a kitchenette. The front door and two other ones were the only escape routes.

The man relaxed his shoulders and slowly made two steps in the direction of the bed. He looked concerned. “See, I told you not to move, the wound on your arm is bleeding again”

Gabe eyed his limb and indeed, there was fresh blood staining the white bandage. “Stay away, I’ll manage by myself.” he shouted rudely, turning towards the stranger.

“One arm patching the other? Don’t think that’s possible, but do what you want.” That was the blond’s skeptical reply. He opened one of the doors and came out moments later with a bowl of water and a towel, which he placed on the nightstand next to the bed. Then he went back to said door and leaned on its jamb with his arms crossed and a prick expression on his face.

Gabe had observed the whole display with something between confusion and mild interest, his eyebrows deeply furrowed. “What are you, my dad?”, he exclaimed challengingly. 

The man kept his glance, silence as his answer.

He started to unfold the cloth but he had indeed underestimated the pain in his leg and now from his bleeding arm. He was fumbling as his brain tried to find a way to get out of this silly situation but of course there was none, given his poor state. He collapsed back on the bed, stare avoiding those piercing blue eyes, fixing on the ceiling instead. His arm was resting on his side, waiting. 

He had lost twice, in the space battle and right now with this man he had just met, whom he knew nothing about while being completely at his mercy.

Footsteps approached and warm hands started to remove the gauze. Gabriel shifted his eyes on the nearby wall, opposite to the man, as he prepared needle and thread and started closing the lacerated skin back again. 

Minutes passed and both were silent. At the end, arm taken care of, the man finally spoke. “Now you know that not moving is for your own good”, he said, words followed by a small chuckle. “How is the leg feeling now?”

“How do you think it is feeling? It is broken, so very bad, thank you!”, he replied with a growl.

“I think I have some of those relaxing herb infuses somewhere. I can make a cup for you if you want.”

“Why?” Gabriel yelled, now suddenly piercing the blond’s surprised face with a icy glare.

“Why what? You want it or you don’t, it’s easy!”

“I don’t need it, I’ll fare just fine on my own!”

“Yeah, just like earlier with the stitches?!”

“Fuck you!”

“Well ok then, Lord I-can-do-by-myself.” And with a cold glance he stormed out of the other door of the facility, going to some other room Gabe couldn’t see. As the slide door closed, silence switched back once more.

Gabe didn’t have a strong sense of morality. However he had to admit he hadn’t been exactly fair with this person. He had apparently been rescued from the ship and his wounds had been attended to, he had been given the bed - _this man’s bed_ \- and blankets and so far, apart from the skepticism, he had got nothing but kindness from him. He was suspicious, but Gabe was also very tired and fuzzy. He felt as if his head had hit a brick wall.... and it wasn’t very far from the truth since he had precipitated from space to land.

While he was trying to think straight, evaluating his options, and find some ways to escape the situation, preferably taking a ship back to the Legion’s HQ, he felt his eyes grow heavy. He tried to stay awake with all his forces, but eventually sleep took him in his embrace.


	3. Chapter 3

“So you’re a Jedi?”

“Not really. I’m just a farmer” Jack had replied trying to fake honesty and simplicity at best of his acting abilities.

The dark-skinned man pierced him again with his intense gaze while sipping his tea. He had woken up at around midday, still lamenting for the pain, but eventually he had started to relax a bit. He had even let Jack help him get on a sitting position on the bed. Moody fellow, this one, but Jack couldn't really blame him for being defensive - he would have done the same in his position.  
The pilot gave his beverage a last long gulp and placed the empty cup on the nightstand.

He lifted his head and wore an inquisitive expression on his face. “This is an Ex-Agricorp planet. Those farmers are all Jedis...”

“You are not wrong.” Jack replied looking into his eyes and he shrugged. “But after the Empire took over, how long since you’ve last seen a Jedi? I can understand your concern, given who I think you fight for, but I repeat: I’m just a farmer.“

The pilot didn’t seem all that reassured by the argument, but after an intense minute of staring, he eventually dropped the subject. 

“What do you want from me? What are you planning to do to me?”

“Honestly? Nothing at all.” Jack replied, standing from his spot on the couch. He picked up the cup and gave his back to the pilot while he headed towards the sink. “You just landed on my field, half dead and in need of assistance - And it happens I’m a kind person.

A short pause and he continued, still not facing the man. “As far as I’m concerned, when you’ll be able to stand on your legs you can be on your way.”

“Good…”, the man retorted, his thoughts clearly drifting away, given his tone.

A quiet not uncomfortable settled between the two of them. But it didn’t last long.

 _“I should start trying to get something out of him”_ , Jack thought. Or he’ll eventually waste time and his fellow Alliance members will come search for him, invalidating his mission.

“You’re a pilot then?”, he asked as he washed the cups and put them back into the sideboard. When he finished he turned around on his heels and leaned on the kitchen counter, crossing his arms.

“Didn’t you see my uniform?”, was the venomous witty response.

“I did! I’m just trying to make conversation, for Force’s sake!” Jack retorted, raising his voice and faking a bit of exasperation. Oh well, he wasn’t entirely faking it - this guy was so damn grumpy and theatrical he just deserved a punch in that handsome face of his. 

The man on the bed seemed taken aback for some moments, glancing to the floor. Jack didn’t move from his position near the kitchen.

“...Yes, I am a pilot, and the best one you’ll ever encounter in your life.”

Jack hummed. “Well, I’d be inclined to believe you but I found you on the wreckage of a fighter - that must mean you lost.” He replied earnestly but trying not to anger the man, a soft smile curling his lips. He appreciated the confidence though, he always did.

“That doesn’t count, they were just a bunch of cowards - Give me a honest one-VS-one fight and I cannot lose.” And he lifted his chin, giving himself an air of importance.

“I see. Well good luck next time then.” Jack said, then he raised his hand to give him a hint of military salute. He tried his best to keep it as casual as possible. He returned to his previous spot on the couch, just about 2 meters from the bed. 

“… If there will be a next time at all. Reaper is gone, I cannot fly without him”. He had sounded genuinely sad and the blond had understood he was referring to his spacecraft, but he played coy anyway.

“Who’s Reaper?”

“My Fighter, clearly”

Another question came to him and the words escaped Jack before he could stop them. “What’s your name?”

“What?”

Oh well, damage’s done. “Your name! You must have a name, right?”

“...It’s Commander Reyes for you”

“Reyes.” he repeated to himself, “I’m Jack.”

“Ok then, Jack.” the man replied, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. 

He was contempt. First step was done towards the success of his plan. Now he just had to keep playing his part and eventually he’ll bring this Reyes to talk his tale.

He stretched his back and got on his feet. “If you don’t need anything I think I’ll go take a shower.”

The man scanned him from head to toe, then he dropped his eyes. “No, thanks. Go ahead”

Risky to leave him alone? Not really, Jack thought. The only serious threat could have been the pistols, but they were safely hidden in the nook in the storage room. Also the man seemed quite relaxed, observant but still not threatened.

He stepped into the bathroom and closed the slide door behind him. He started to undress from the top, inspecting in the mirror the various scars that marred his body: one on his shoulder, a couple on his chest, another lower on the side of his waist. They were there to remind him that once he had fought for what he believed into, for saving what was left of democracy. And now that he had a new mission to accomplish, those strong feelings were awaken again. 

He would have to be careful though - the scars could easily betray him. No farmer could have ever suffered of so many wounds.

He briefly finished unclothing and got in the sonic shower. As a mixture of hot water and steam enveloped his body, his thoughts went back to the pilot. 

Jack knew it already: this was going to be hard.  
It was annoyingly easy to get on his nerves, angry and passionate as he was. Not less importantly, he looked like an exceptionally intelligent soldier, not definitely the dumb indoctrinated recruit he had expected. Officers nowadays tended to be stupid but this one wasn’t quite so. 

His intelligence played in his favor though, Jack realized. Maybe he could be brought to reason, to see he was part of an organization that was just a way to hide a murder machine... It would take him all of his charms and reasonable arguments, but he was determined. 

The Rebel base was about 7 kilometers away from his facility and the last visit he had received had been less than a week prior.  
They had probably been alarmed by the crash already. It was reasonable to think it wouldn’t take them much to locate the wreckage and, seeing the body missing from the cockpit, they’ll surely come search for him… his time was short.

A few minutes and he was out of the shower cabin. He grabbed a towel and dried the last water drops on his body and hair. He dressed himself in clean clothes and stepped out of the room, halting at the door.

Reyes was looking out of the window beside the bed, his arms crossed over his lap. Jack couldn’t see his face from this position but the man turned after a few seconds, his eyes questioning. He had gotten rid of the plaster on his face, the wound underneath decently healed, also thanks to some medic gels he had managed to retrieve. It was gonna scar anyway, Jack thought. A pity to further ruin that face…

The staring game was getting uncomfortable. “So, you have any wishes for dinner?”

\-----

How could he trust that clean face and easygoing manners? It seemed just too damn fitting to be some kind of a trap. But again, how was it possible that this man had been somehow tasked to save him and... what? _Seduce him into giving away Imperial secrets?_ Gabriel’s thoughts were a stormy mess.

Rationally speaking, he was probably exaggerating all of the situation, but given the fact that he couldn't do anything all day due to being stuck in bed, apart from reading boring literature Jack had supplied, well, he had a lot of time to think. Too much time, since he wasn’t used to staying still for such long periods. He was a fighter pilot, not a peasant.

He had been hospitalized before, sure, but conditions were quite different: he had felt safe, being in the centre of civilization, where he had all comforts fit to an officer and his family could visit him everyday. 

Now, being in a facility in the middle of fucking nowhere, Rebels probably already on his tracks, owing his life to this infuriatingly perfect stranger, it wasn’t really a nice situation.

He couldn’t even go to the toilet by himself, for Force’s Sake!

It had been 6 days since he had crashed on Tanaab, and his leg wasn’t even half as recovered, even with all the healing mixtures Jack had applied on it. It still hurt quite a bit, badly so at times, preventing him from resting properly. 

 

Jack had granted him his bed without ceremonies, and he was now sleeping on the nearby couch. Gabe had appreciated that…

Be it the pain or the anxiety he was experiencing, he couldn’t bring his thoughts to focus: he kept thinking about how the 181st, the Colonel and the Empire had betrayed him, one of their best pilots, sending him to his death. He had been a good officer but still they had thrown him and his career away in the trash compactor.  
Was it because of his humble origin? He had never given to them the image of being someone unpredictable,nor disloyal, even if he probably had all reasons to... yet they had toyed with his life, those stupid aristocrat assholes…

Who did he owe his allegiance to, now that both the Rebels and the Empire wanted him dead?

He groaned to himself, massaging his temples, a faint headache threatening to get stronger. He managed to get into a sitting position on the bed without help, as the front door slided open for Jack to enter. His boots and trousers were a bit muddy, and he was carrying a basket of corn cobs, presumably just picked from the field surrounding the facility. 

It was about midday and the sun was shining brightly outside. A veil of sweat covered the man’s exposed skin, his shirt wet.

“Hey..” he greeted, painting slightly from the walk in the field.

Gabe replied with a nod, retrieving his book from the nightstand and starting to flip the pages absentmindedly, desperate to distract himself.

“Do you need anything?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Good. How is the leg?”

Gabriel sighed, “It’s improving, but not as fast as I need it to.”

“I see. You’ll have to wait at least another couple of weeks for being able to stand, I think.” Jack said as a matter of fact, placing the basket on the counter and removing his boots. “Do you like roasted corn cobs?” he smiled as he was heading to the bathroom to change the rest of his clothes. He waited at the door for Gabe’s reply.

“Mh, the ones I have tasted so far were kind of dull. Nothing special.”

“Then it’s time for you to try these ones! It’s nothing like the stuff that arrives in Coruscant. I assure you won’t regret it!” he said, his attitude confident.

Gabe arched his eyebrows slightly, faking uninterest “...Ok then.”

He appeared so pure, his ways so kind, that face so beautiful… yet Gabe could sense something was amiss even if he couldn’t place it. 

Some minutes later, after Jack had changed to some casual grey trousers and a black way-too-tight T-shirt, he set to cooking said cobs. The smell in the room was ridiculously pleasant, warm and cozy. It reminded Gabe of his home, when his mother used to cook for him. 

Jack opened the cupboard to get a pair of plates from it, but as he was placing one on the counter, it suddenly escaped his hand, falling to the floor. But the object never met his end, Jack too swift in saving it.  
Gabe witnessed the scene with wide eyes and very furrowed eyebrows, but didn’t say a word about it.  
Some moments later, while the blond was removing the corn from the fire, Gabe abruptly interrupted the silence. “What about Rebels in this area?” His tone was as neutral as possible.

The blond kept his back at him, while he was opening the cupboard again. “What of them?”

“Do you know something, if there is any settlement around here or ...where it may be?”. He was being definitely bold with this question but it was the first time it occurred to him that the two of them might not be on the same side. Jack never spoke ill or either parts so far, but their conversations on the matter had been quite limited. He said he was just a farmer, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t make a choice.

But again, what side was _Gabe_ really on? 

Jack took a moment to reply, busy placing the food on the two plates and bringing one to him at the bed. Then he took a sit on his usual spot on the couch. “Not that I know. I haven’t lived here for a long time. Used to work on another Agri-corp planet before.” His face didn’t betray any emotion, he was just stating a fact, not even a very interesting one.

Gabriel stared at him for some moments, trying to find deceit in his eyes. But he found none… all he could see was those intense beautiful irises glancing right back. He felt enchanted for a moment, but he mentally punched himself and interrupted the contact, focusing on his food instead.

Man, if it smelled delicious... He tried a tentative bite to find out that it was absolutely glorious. A simple taste, and yet so intense! He didn’t even realize he was moaning low as he took another bite, a powerful one this time. He even closed his eyes, the flavor fully pleasing his taste buds.

He suddenly heard a joyful and satisfied chuckle escape Jack’s lips and he had to raise his eyes again to watch those handsome features crinkle into a smile. That sweet sound… he’d pay to hear it forever… 

_Wait what??_

“See, I told you could trust me. It was good, am I right?” Jack asked, starting to bite his cob as well, smile never leaving his face.

Gabe nodded, not trusting himself with words at that moment. He devoured his food in silence, trying to avoid his gaze yet stealing more than one glance at that damn perfect face.

They ate in relative silence, both enjoying their meal. Gabe couldn’t stop thinking about where the allegiance of the man in front of him stood with, though. Maybe he was paranoid, but when you climb your way up to the rank of an officer you make enemies. So he had learned not to trust others in the first place, even if they appeared kind, and to respect them only if they really proved worth of it. 

Jack was just a hell of a confusing man, to be honest. He was incredibly fit and that seemed strange for a random farmer - yet taking care of a field could definitely be considered hard work, and adding to the fact that he lived here all alone, Gabe thought it was reasonable, as much as infuriating that body seemed to him. As a pilot, when he wasn’t on mission he trained for 4 hours, 5 days a week - yet their physiques, though generally having different conformations, seemed quite the same in terms of bulkiness. 

Also that swift motion he had performed to catch the plate...those reflexes...

But it wasn’t this fact that was bothering him. It was his eyes, how swift and intelligent they were. He hadn’t met many farmers in his life, that was true, but he had known a lot of low-status people in his youth - their eyes were all the same: dull, void of interest for what happened in the Universe, sad and tired.

Gabe had the distinct feeling this man wasn’t telling him everything. 

That bothered him quite a lot. But at the same time he was greatly thrilled by the feeling. Actually, way more than he cared to admit …


	4. Chapter 4

Another 4 days had passed and Gabe could definitely say that yes, it was boring as fuck to be stuck in that bed, as comfortable as it was, but after all he wasn’t exaggerating when he admitted to himself that the stay was being... quite enjoyable. 

Apart from the times he was out in the field (or Force knew where), Jack had always been there to give him a hand for help, from occasions when he needed the bathroom to other simple tasks he couldn’t do by himself.  
His cooking was more than decent, his company brilliant. He really wouldn’t have expected a farmer to be so bright. 

They had talked of various topics and he had learned much about the man. For example that he had lost most of his family some years back and that since he had decided to live his life in relative solitude. The sound of the wind brushing the corn leaves was much more comforting than the empty talk he could get from strangers in a city, he had told Gabe.

He could understand that, to some extent. The shock of losing loved ones can make a man’s world upside down.

They never really went into specifics, but the talk was entertaining. Relaxing even. Kept his mind away from bad thoughts.

“I want to take a bath” Gabe declared, lifting his chin from the novel he was reading. 

“Again? You took one 3 days ago, Reyes.” the blond replied in a mild fed-up tone.

He crossed his arms, eyebrows raised. “As a prisoner it is in my rights to ask for it”

Jack’s fists went to his sides. “Prisoner? What makes you think you’re a prisoner?” 

“I soon will be, believe me, so better to enjoy _your_ kindness the more I can.” he declared. A sly grin was forming on his face as he waited for the blond’s reply. 

“... I suppose it would harm no one if you took another. I don’t care.”

Gabe’s face lighted up in an instant as Jack went to the bathroom to start filling the tub. When he came back he helped the man to a sitting position on edge of the bed, trying to move his broken leg as less as possible. He passed one of his arms over his own shoulders and grabbed his side with the other hand.

The pain made Gabe hiss deeply but the feeling of that strong body glued to his own was actually more than pleasant. They made their way to the bathroom without inconveniences.

The moment Jack left him on his usual chair next to the tub and went out of the room, he felt... pissed. The denial of contact was now something that bothered him, even if he didn’t let it show. 

“Just call me when you’re done.” Then his host closed the door behind him and the room went silent.  
\------

He was wasting time, Jack knew it.

But he kept telling himself he had to get on his good side, lead him to trust him if he wanted to achieve something. There was just one way to make a man talk: making him feel safe while doing so. 

He considered to be at a good point though: he managed to get some information about his family situation, some of his opinions and vague facts about the TIE squad he was part of.  
Nothing really helpful so far, but he was working on it.

Sometimes he got carried away, their conversations so deep and interesting he was nearly forgetting the original purpose of the act.

It was all an act… _right?_

Lost in his thoughts as he was, he jumped on his seat when he heard a sudden scream from inside the bathroom. He was at the door in a second, knocking heavily. “What happened? Reyes? Reyes are you ok?”

He was confused and honestly worried when he heard no reply from the other part. He tried knocking once more, but again no answer. 

Against his respect for the other’s privacy, he entered the room without further asking. The scene in front of his eyes had a seemingly unconscious Reyes with his nape resting on the edge on the tub, head reclined back slightly. His left arm was hanging out of the water, the surface of which was covered in bubbles all over. 

Jack approached slowly, calling his name twice again. Then he gently grabbed his face and turned it in his direction.

He never expected Reyes to suddenly open his eyes, a wild grin on his face, grabbing him by the neck and pushing him fully clothed in the water. The tub was big just enough for one person, so Jack collapsed right on top of him.  
The man was laughing savagely as he tried to push as much as his body he could under the surface of the water, his head included. 

After a minute of intense fighting, the mess was finally made: he was completely drenched and half of the water was spilled on the floor.

“For Force’s sake, what is wrong with you, Reyes?” Jack had lifted his incredulous face, panting slightly due to the short apnea the man had just forced him into, and was now centimeters away from the other’s eyes. 

The culprit was still grinning widely. He was so satisfied with himself you could read it on every single one of this facial features. He had one hand on Jack’s side and the other was still on his shoulder. 

From that short distance every detail of his face came into focus: his warm brown irises, those small scars on his nose and a longer one on his lower lip… that was dangerously close.

Just when Jack was about to lower his eyes, get up and escape from that increasingly equivocal situation that had him on top of a very attractive and very naked man in his bathtub, Reyes surprised him again by circling his neck with his arm, making his chest touch his own. 

A hug, short but tight.

As soon as it started the moment ended though, as the man realized how uncomfortable the position was, and he started pushing him away, careful not to put his weight onto the injured leg while doing so. 

“Now get off. I gotta finish bathing.”

“What?”, was all that came out of Jack’s mouth, as he pushed himself upright and carefully stepped out of the water, still absolutely confused and outraged. He was dripping all over the floor, his clothes and hair completely wet.

“You heard me... or maybe you wanna spectate the rest?” The smirk on his face succeeded in making a full grown man, military officer and now Alliance commander as Jack was, blush like a teenager little girl. _Simply unacceptable._

He stormed out of the room, not caring if he was going to wet all the floors on his path, Reyes’ laughter echoing from behind him.

\----

As the colder season was approaching on the planet, the night air turned chilly outside and at that moment it was all Gabe needed. He breathed in and out, filling his lungs deeply with the strong mossy scent of the ground, which was very intense since it had rained in the morning.  
It was about 11 pm and the sky was cloudless now. All the stars greeted him with their shine, each of them perfectly visible from the dark un-industrialized Tanaab.

“I miss them so damn much…”, he murmured loud enough for Jack to hear him. The night was quiet, only the soft sound of brushing leaves and some late cicadas breaking the silence. 

Jack’s eyes were on the sky as well. “The stars, uh? I can imagine.”

“You know, I always thought I was born for flying. It was my dream since I was a kid and it had been satisfying to finally be able to reach it. It may sound stupid but you grow a bond with the firmament… I would have never imagined this would have been the ruin of me.” He was being silly with these words, he totally knew that. Being able to stare at the sky again for the first time since many days was awakening a deep nostalgia in him.

Both of them were sitting on the ground, under a small canopy at the edge of the facility, just outside of the main door - corn field partially covering the landscape. They had their backs resting on the durasteel wall, Jack had his knees bent while Gabe’s legs were spread on the floor, a light blanket resting over his shoulders.

“Why you say so? You are alive, that’s what matters.” Jack said trying to be optimist, turning to face his direction.

Gabe kept his stare fixed above. “Alive yes. But am I really living right now? I’m just wasting a lot of time here, yet... I have no place to return to.”

The blond was silent for some moments, lowering his eyes, pondering over Gabe’s statement. “What about your family? They’re waiting for you.”

“I have no idea if they’re safe or even alive. I’m a dead man to my superiors now.”

“They sent you to die, didn’t they?” Jack’s voice was slightly hesitant.

Gabriel clenched his fists tight, enough to make his fingers ache. “Yeah… they did”. He still didn’t know if he could fully trust this man, but what did he have to lose at this point? The thought of his mother and sisters haunted him night and day. If only there was a way to contact them, to know if they were alright. 

What did the Colonel tell them? He probably had sent them a letter and a medal of honor, with no explanation over his death circumstances whatsoever. 

“Why?” Jack asked him.

“They were purging the Squadron and I was just another of their expendable pawns, I guess. Maybe I’m not that good of a pilot after all.” He dropped his shoulders and closed his eyes, a feeling of defeat destroying his mental walls.

“I know little about fighters and space battles”, the other started, “but I’ve seen how damaged the engine of your plane was. The fact that you managed to keep it stable and land on the ground pretty much in one piece tells you much about the kind of pilot you are, in my opinion. And also you spared my corn.”

Gabe turned to look at him and was surprised to see he could notice all of the details on the man’s face, the night being so clear. He had a cheesy expression stamped on this face, features relaxed and honesty in those brilliant irises of his.  
The two main urges he had were either to punch him in the jaw or grab his stupid leather jacket by the collar and kiss that infuriating smile.

He avoided his eyes and changed the subject. “Do you think we can go see Reaper’s… wreckage?” That word was a stab in his chest.

“As soon as you can stand and walk a bit, sure.”

Gabe nodded and stayed silent for some minutes, contemplating his thoughts and the sky, tracing the star systems he could recognize. 

“What do you plan to do in the future?”

Jack was pensive for a second. “I think I’ll get in contact with the federation and try to find another job in some other plantation. I love this corn field but when you’ll be gone there will be no one bothering me all day. I’d die of boredom!” And then a soft laugh followed. “What about you, Reyes?”

Gabe grinned at that lively sound but soon his thoughts darkened again. “I just want to get in contact with my family… then I’ll see what the Colonel has in store for me next.”

“I… I know it’s not my business but why? What do you owe to those people? They’re not worth of your loyalty, you should not return.”

“And what should I do then, ugh? Both the factions in this war want me dead, my future is already written! At least they could let me write a letter to my mother if I go back to base…” He raised his voice, frustration fully revealing in his tone. 

Jack was silent for a long while this time. The wind howled and the corn leaves swished loudly as the breeze grew colder.  
All of a sudden he stood up and spoke firmly. “Maybe not all is lost, Reyes.” He extended his hand to help him up on his good leg.

“Yeah, as if a farmer would know.” Gabe smiled at the man. He stood up and was now at eye level with him., leaning his weight on his shoulders to balance, as he did so many times before.

“Yeah…Come on”, was the thin reply from the blond, his breath warm on Gabriel’s cheek. He proceeded to guide him back inside of the facility and the front door clicked shut again.


	5. Chapter 5

Jack was getting used to it by now, sure, but it didn’t mean that caring 24/7 for all the needs of another individual, a sarcastic and exaggerated one nonetheless, wasn’t a complete pain in the ass. He was a soldier, not a nurse, nor a babysitter. 

Sometimes he regretted having taken the decision of embarking on this mission, especially when Reyes was complaining or solo-ranting to the moon and back and he had to collect all his patient demeanor to keep the facade. 

Some other times though, the man made it absolutely impossible for him to keep a straight face and Jack’s personality slipped, way more than he wanted. As a matter of fact, he had tried to stay as honest as possible with his guest - to keep the task easier, he had reassured himself. All he had told Reyes in their long conversations wasn’t just a bunch of lies, not everything at least. 

Maybe it had been the prolonged loneliness of the last few months, or he was just increasingly nervous to see where all of this was going, but Jack just couldn't suppress the strong feelings he had when the pilot was near. Those daily contacts he shared with him, both physical and mental, from mere casualty they were becoming a necessity. Smiling and being kind to him came just natural.  
Although being very different in terms of character, they had a lot in common - a pair of broken souls trying their best to keep it together. 

If someone had told him two months ago that one day he would have inevitably fallen for a imperial officer he would have laughed at that person’s face. And then punched their nose.

But there he was, sitting on a chair in the bathroom of his facility, with one of them right in front of him, his jaw exposed while Jack was shaving him. Reyes was sitting on a chair too, a towel spread on his lap and his hands on his knees. 

Officially the excuse for this was that the man still couldn’t stand properly to reach the mirror at the sink, and the small one Jack supplied wasn’t big enough to make a good job. In truth, he was just being very lazy since he could definitely stay up on his legs by now, but he had convinced Jack to do it instead.  
And in all honesty, the blond wasn’t really complaining. 

The knife slid smoothly over the dark skin, removing inch by inch every bit of hairs that had grown during the man’s forced stay. Jack spared his chin and the mustache, as requested, only trimming them a bit. 

From the buzzed cut he had when Jack first met him 3 weeks before, the man’s hair had grown as well, but he had declared there was no need to cut them. They were a nice tone of dark brown, curling more and more everyday.

“I’m almost finished.” he said, focused on avoiding any injury on the Reyes’ already scarred visage. Maybe the blond had taken his time with the shaving but to be honest he was enjoying the moment - to be able to touch that face, his jaw and neck in such an casual but intimate way was pure bliss.

Reyes seemed pretty tranquil, unaware of being in the hand of someone he could consider his enemy. “Good, ‘cause my neck is starting to hurt.”

Jack chuckled nonchalantly. “Sure, old man, don’t worry.

The other just smiled at that, his eyes looking away.

“How old are you, by the way?” he asked Reyes.

“37 next month, if I live to see it, mind me.”

“I’m 38.” he supplied spontaneously.

Reyes hummed in reply and closed his eyes, his defenses sunk completely.

Once done Jack stood up with a satisfied grimace. He picked a small towel up from the sink he had previously filled with hot water and, after wringing it energetically, he started passing it on Reyes’ skin, removing all the remaining hairs. 

The man grazed his face with his own hand, scratching here and there to test the quality of the job. “Mh, feels good. How do I look?” He stared at Jack, moving his hand away from its position to produce a smug smile.

“Terrible, as always?” the sarcasm was clearly showing in his exaggerated tone. 

They fiercely stared at each-other for a while, waiting for the other to yield first, but none of them won the contest because Jack started to laugh as soon as the other did.

This silly time they were sharing was filling Jack’s heart with a feeling of contempt he hadn’t experienced in years, as bittersweet as it was, considering where his loyalty stood with. In that moment he felt like a child again, free to laugh over nothing without superior and subordinates to show a stoic behavior to. 

One of Reyes’ hands went to his pale neck, to fake a choke move but he was actually just leaning on him. The other one was on his clothed shoulder as the foolish laughter was consuming them. 

What were they even laughing about? Jack didn’t know.

As they calmed down, several time later, Reyes squeezed his shoulder and again peeked earnest in the other’s eyes. “Thank you for this. Actually, thank you for everything. You’re one of the best men I’ve ever met.” Jack noticed there was complete contrast between the roughness of his facial features and the sweet expression they displayed - a beautiful one. 

There was sadness in his tone. “Thank you for making these last days worth it, even if I was stuck in bed 90% of the time.

Jack waited for him to continue, his hesitation evident. “And my name is Gabriel though, I wanted to tell you for a while.”

The soft squeeze at his neck stopped as Gabriel dropped his hand, a sad smile planted on his face. At that, Jack raised his own hand and clasped the back the man’s head, crushing their lips together in a smooth kiss.

A low groan escaped Gabriel’s throat as their lips pressed together, brushing over each other. Jack registered the warm hand on his shoulder sliding over to the side of his face, gently caressing it, and he opened his mouth to deepen the contact. His partner tongue was hot and wet as it met Jack’s with intense passion and abandonment. Both had their eyes closed as they explored each other’s mouths.

When Gabriel gave a delicious small bite to his lower lip Jack realized in shock he was moaning and pretty much everything about that situation was absolutely wrong. He was his jailer, his interrogator and a filthy liar, totally unworthy of that display of affection from the unaware man.

His eyes snapped wide open as he pushed the other away, a stunned look portrayed on both of their faces. He stood up from his seat and backed two steps, avoiding eye contact with Gabriel, who instead pierced him with an incredulous and hurt expression, his eyebrows deeply furrowed. 

Jack’s hand went to cover his mouth. “This… this shouldn't have happened, I’m sorry.”, he whispered breathlessly. Then he left the bathroom like the true coward he was.


	6. Chapter 6

_What the hell had just happened?_

Gabe was still sitting in his chair in the bathroom, shoulders slumped and empty hands on his lap. He kept gawking at the blue floor while his brain desperately struggled to process all the emotions that were racing inside of it.

_Maybe… Maybe he wasn’t into guys?_

That was just a stupid assumption, Gabriel realized - his body-language and general behavior would have been obvious even to a blind person, and anyway, it had been Jack to start the kiss, not him!

The slide door Jack had just passed through was still open, but he couldn’t see him from that position. Gabe couldn’t even tell if he was still in the station - as disoriented as he was he hadn’t even noticed the man’s movements.

Confusion was probably the major aspect shaping his features at that moment, together with a sense of complete and utter frustration. Perhaps Jack was right - that shouldn’t have happened. He could offer no joy and no future as a partner. Either by the hands of the Empire or those of the Rebels, he couldn’t deny he was just a dead man walking. 

He tried to suggest himself reasons and excuses to elaborate the unexpected kiss and the rejection that had followed, but nothing seemed to soothe that sensation of void going through his chest. From the intensity if it, his body and mind were going numb, apathetic, while his eyes turned out of focus automatically.

He would have never expected this situation to go this way, in all honesty…

All of a sudden he was woken from his trance by a short series of firm knockings on the front door of the facility - the sound resonated all over the place as if whoever was at the door was trying to break through with a siege hammer. His eyes snapped wide open, panic starting to build in his stomach.

He heard a soft noise from the main room and Jack appeared on the bathroom door, just as alarmed as he was. “I’ll help you stand.” He passed his arm over his shoulder as usual and picked him up fast, brow furrowed in terror.

“Who is it?”, Gabe whispered, trying not to give away his compromised emotional state too much. “You said there was no one in this area.”

Jack led him to that other room Gabe had never seen so far, which turned out to be just a store room at first look. “The Rebels have found you apparently.”, he stated matter-of-factly. “Now hide in here, I’ll explain later.”

But just as Gabriel tried to stop him and ask explanations about that last sentence, Jack quickly left him standing in the room, balancing his weight on the good leg, closing the door at his back. 

The pilot turned around. 

A laundry station, bookshelves, various farming equipment on the tables and not much else could be noticed in that space. The places to hide were pretty limited, but at the end he opted for a tall wardrobe with old fashioned clothes inside. He knelt inside of it, hissing slightly from residual pain he felt at moving his almost-healed limb. He was sitting on something hard and very uncomfortable, but he immobilized to try to eavesdrop what he could from the conversation in the other room.

About some moment later, after adjusting his hearing, he managed to make out a young voice with a strange accent that, even though muffled by the walls, sounded pretty clear. “Commander Morrison, we didn’t find any pilot in the cockpit of that TIE, just about three hundred of meters from here. We would have come here to check with you sooner, but two of us, namely Lena and my brother, were injured in the fight.”

A second voice entered the conversation, a woman this time. “Jack, what happened to you? You didn’t reply to my calls and you didn’t send a solid report in nearly 3 weeks.” She genuinely sounded concerned.

A short silence. “I- I played my cards wrong, but I’ll explain everything to you, in time”, Jack’s voice was firm and detached, nothing like what Gabriel had heard from him before.

“What do you mean, Jack?”

“I said I’ll explain when the time comes, Ana, trust me.”

There was a long moment of silence in their discussion but Gabe wasn’t registering the conversation anymore, a sense of complete shock and betrayal enveloping his spirit, blocking any other thought. So this was all a lie, everything that happened was a clumsy farce on Jack’s part…

As much as his body was unable to react to the revelation, the persistent pain in his butt-cheek had become insufferable, so much that he lost his temper and stood up to see what was causing it. 

His eyes snapped open as he discovered a pair of blaster pistols laid enveloped in that old patched rag he had been sitting on. He picked them up for inspection and, to his astonishment, he identified one as his own weapon.

_“That motherfucker…”_

\----

Jack greeted his soldiers goodbye after a few other reassurances and closed the front door. As he passed a hand over his forehead to wipe the cold sweat that had formed there, he tried to regulate his breathing to fight off the wild pounding in his chest. He stood in front of the exit and didn’t move - he only relaxed after sensing the sound of the speeder’s engine drifting off, away from the facility.

 _“Now they know, but at least they didn’t find him”_ , Jack thought while closing his eyes and releasing the breath he didn’t know he had been holding. 

What about now? The show was over.

They definitely noticed that something was not right with him and with the whole situation - they weren’t stupid. During these past weeks he should have focused on keeping the act with his colleagues, sending better detailed messages that didn’t reveal that he was actually distracted. He should have just spent his time on keeping the mission going, _instead of falling in love with it._

Someone could think he had been weak, his old self included, but in truth Jack just couldn’t deny it to himself anymore - when he kissed Gabriel earlier he had dropped all his shields and he had felt safe and free doing it, as if nothing else in the Galaxy existed anymore, only the two of them. No one in his life had ever given him feel such intense and vast range of positive feelings. 

His hurt expression afterwards had completely shattered his heart though. The man didn’t deserve someone that played with his feelings like that. The quality of Jack’s intentions had been pure, but nothing was going to hide the fact that he had lied about his identity the whole time. 

If Ana was still in the room she would have told him he fucked up, and she would have been right.

The Rebels were reasonable people, but he didn’t know if he could save Gabriel’s life now. He was still an Imperial officer, his pasts deeds in front of everyone’s sight to prove it.

He was still facing the closed door when he heard unexpected footsteps of someone coming out of the storage room. He turned to see Gabriel with his own blaster pistol in one hand and Jack’s in the other, a grim look stamped on his face as he slowly raised his gun to aim in his direction.

If the imagine wasn’t horrible enough to make Jack’s legs shake, the mix of cruelty and sarcasm in Gabriel’s words was a sword right between his ribs. “ _Commander Morrison_ , uh? Tell me, _Commander_ , when exactly were you planning to tell your friends about me? Maybe you were just waiting for me to completely drop my defenses, enchanted by your lies and concocted good manners, only to use me as a trophy to throw at their faces when the right time came…”

“That… That isn’t true, Gabriel...” Jack tried to start explaining but he was interrupted by the other, who didn’t move a step from his spot.

“You had fun filling my head with all those tales about yourself? You’d be glad to know you made an excellent job. I fell for it, Commander, you have succeeded! I bet you cannot wait to go alert your cowards friends now, to tell them this officer is now broken enough to be tortured and interrogated.”

He made a short pause while e chuckled bitterly, not lowering the gun for a second. “But what if I made a hole in your chest now and deprived you of all the success they surely already have prepared for you? That woman would cry for you, I’m certain - Is she your lover?”

Jack just couldn’t take it anymore, the sense of guilt fully unleashing on him while the lies burned his soul in the meantime. “You know it’s not like that, drop the bullshit!” he yelled, as tears were starting to form at the corners of his eyes.

“ _Should I know?_ What exactly should I know with all the lies you have spitted on me?”, was the loud and angry reply.

Jack lowered his face, defeated. He was right and Jack couldn’t change what he had done.

“Kill me if you think that is the right thing to do… but know that if I may have lied about who I am, I never faked the feelings I have for you. Nothing’s gonna change that, Gabe. The mission wasn’t a priority anymore...” He dumped his shoulders, ready to receive his judgement. He was the one who brought this man into this shitty situation and he should have to pay the price now. 

 

But the person in front of him didn’t shoot, nor did he reply. He kept aiming,his finger on the trigger, but his pained glare went to the floor, complex undistinguished emotions passing one by one on his face.

What seemed like an hour, a day or a week passed, without either of them moving or talking. Jack had started to bite the inner wall of his cheek out of reflex and he only noticed when it started to hurt. He had failed again, just as he had failed the lives of the soldiers he sacrificed for the Republic. He ruined the only relationship he had ever had the courage to start in his life. _What a fucking coward..._

“Step away from the door, Jack.” Gabriel’s order was a slap on his face. He lifted his stare again.

He searched for the pilot’s eyes but he was avoiding his stare. “I.. I cannot do that.”

The man started approaching in his direction with some difficulty, due to not having anything to help him walk properly. “You can’t keep me in here, you knew this was going to happen.”

“I knew, yes. But now you can’t keep me from trying to save you, Gabriel.“

“I’m no damsel in distress.” He saw the blaster’s tip getting nearer with every step he made and when it finally touched his chest lightly, Gabriel spoke again, his voice cracking. “You broke the officer, Jack, I can’t even shoot you. Just let me go, I beg you.”

His eyes were completely red and a pair of gleaming tears was starting stream down his face. Knowing it was all his fault for starting this situation in the first place, Jack felt completely desperate, enough to make him implore. 

“Stay with me, Gabe. I need you to trust me one more time, please. We can still get out of this situation.” His eyes were filled with tears to the point that everything appeared blurred, even his own hand that went to coup Gabriel’s cheek. He was shaking under his touch, his jaw clenched, but the man’s brown irises eventually raised again to meet his faltering stare. 

“You should have killed me when you had the occasion, maybe.” Gabriel’s words were a thin whisper.

“You know I could have never done that, even if I wanted to…”

“I hate you, you insufferable prick…”

The dark-skinned man gradually removed the pistol from its spot on Jack’s chest and dropped it to the ground with a loud thud, followed shortly after by the other one he was holding. After that he collapsed on his knees on the ground and Jack mimicked his position. 

Gabriel’s head went resting on the other’s shoulder, beside his neck, as Jack slowly raised his arms to hug him, gently at first, but as he heard the other starting to sob he squeezed his body to bring him close. Only when the man hugged him back, his hands desperately grabbing at his shirt, did Jack’s tears start to run down themselves, silently. 

How strange things can be - you may search for it all you want, all your life sometimes, and yet love always has this unnerving and beautiful ability to literally rain from the sky and turn your life upside down. But Gabe had said it, he couldn’t keep the man here without his consent, he had been selfish enough.

As he lightly petted his curls he lowered his face to speak in the man’s ear.

“Stay with me tonight.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut! warning in the first part of this chapter.

Gabriel found himself putting aside the sense of treason that had previously fogged his mind now that he was on top of the other man, pressing him on the mattress with his weight, devouring his mouth senselessly. 

He was balancing on his elbow, while with the other hand he lifted Jack’s shirt, uncovering his toned abdomen and chest. He interrupted the savage kiss to gaze at the skin he had just exposed - many scars marked his upper-body, sharp red lines opposed to the milky tone of the surface. _That_ was the reason the man had never undressed in his presence: modesty had nothing to do with the matter - he was hiding this.

He growled in annoyance as he assaulted his partner’s neck, biting and lapping at the sensitive skin, surprised to hear him moan loudly in response. “I’m still angry at you, you asshole,” he wheezed as he gave Jack’s ear a merciless bite that made him hiss in pain.

“Do your worst then.” 

Gabe wasn’t going to be told twice.

He sit upright in between the man’s legs, removing his clothes while Jack got rid of what was left of his own apparel.

The sight of that nude body was breathtaking, so in contrast with his own in terms of colors. Gabe was trying to ogle every small detail of that pale skin and those muscles, everything infuriatingly perfect just as his face was: Jack had his head slightly rolled back on the pillow, a delicious shade of pink coloring his cheeks and the tip of his ears. He had his mouth open as he panted, deep breaths escaping his abused lips. 

He immediately pressed his mouth to those lips again, unable to restrain himself from claiming them, sucking at the lower lip for some seconds and then nibbling at it. Jack grabbed his head and he registered his tongue entering Gabriel’s mouth, smooth and wet, engaging the other in a wild humid dance.

“Open your legs, Commander.” The order was soon followed by a menacing smirk from Gabe, remarking the sarcasm in his words, but Jack squeezed his eyes and obeyed nonetheless, spreading his body and rolling his hips up in the process, making their already half-hard erections meet and rub against each other, eliciting a satisfied groan from both of them. 

Gabe repeated the movement, meeting his hips down with the other’s, the sensation too good to be stopped as he kept going. Jack was hissing against the skin of his shoulder, his face flushed, while the other went ahead leaving small bites on his fine collarbone.

Deciding the contact was not enough for his tastes, Gabriel placed a hand between of them, grabbing both their cocks and stroking them together, slow but powerful, his thumb caressing the tips. A few moves and his fingers were slick with pre-cum. 

The dark-haired man suddenly interrupted the movement and lifted his eyes to glare at Jack’s face, who had his brow furrowed, unhappy that the other had stopped. 

“I want you, Gabe..” he breathed out, as he squeezed Gabriel’s muscled thigh.

His blue eyes, even in the low light of the early evening, looked like glossy ponds, fixed on his own. Gabriel brushed his fingers through the blond spikes, messing them up even more. The kiss they shared was tender and drowsy this time, their lips caressing with abandonment for some precious moments.

Soon after he started to prep his partner, inserting one finger at first, but then adding a second, moving in and out of his entrance and causing a loud mixture of hissing and moaning sounds from him. One of Jack’s hands went to his own face to cover it, embarrassment clearly readable from his body-language, but Gabe rapidly gripped his wrist to shove it smoothly away, pissed for having being deprived of the sweet sight of that thrilled, aroused expression.

“Are you ready?” he asked, eyeing the man with intensity, removing his fingers from inside of him.

Jack just nodded vigorously a few times, spreading his legs even further for his companion.

Just as he had done with his fingers previously, Gabriel spitted on his hand to lube himself, stroking his erected member a few times. Then he adjusted into position, ready, but first he searched for Jack’s stare once more.

 

A small smile, nearly shy, was stick on the blond’s face. ”Just be gentle at first - it’s been a while.”

Gabe cupped his cheek with his palm and slid it slowly down his neck, to end over his torso, right above his heart. He lowered his face, mouth just inches away from the man’s ear.

“I’ll fuck you senseless all I want, Jack Morrison, until you forget your name.”

And he entered the other in a sharp movement, shifting slowly but profoundly, grinning wildly on hearing a surprised raspy whine break out of Jack’s lips. His shaky arms raised to circle Gabriel’s neck, hands gripping tight on his shoulders, while the other sucked at his earlobe, his hips’ pace increasing more and more. 

The blond’s broken moaning was interrupted by small sobs at times, and the sound went straight to Gabe’s dick, making him pound harder into his lover, growling quick breaths on the man’s neck, between a kiss and a bite. 

“I - I’m close…”, was all that Jack managed to say some intense minutes later, his head rolled back in bliss and his eyes shut.

Gabriel, who was about to come as well, proceeded to roll his hips as deep he could, grunting loudly in the hollow formed by his neck and shoulder, touching that spot inside of Jack that provoked a lovely strangled howl from the man. 

Just a few other rolls and they hit their peak nearly at the same time, very hard, both having been deprived of that relief for quite some time. Gabriel’s sight went white for a second as he purred in pleasure, releasing inside while Jack came in between their stomachs. 

Surprisingly for him, it was Jack who came to his senses first, disentangling his arms from behind Gabe’s head, and grabbing it instead with his hands, bringing his lips near his own and brushing the lightest kiss over his scarred lips.

“You can stay with me, we can fix this…”

But Gabe dropped his sight and head after some brief moments without a reply, resting on the man’s smooth shoulder and sniffing the intense and inebriating smell of his skin mixed with the scent of sex. 

\----

It was still dark, the day just starting to dawn over the horizon when Jack opened his eyes, roused by dim sounds coming from the room. He turned around on the bed, the sheets shifting away from his naked shoulders.

Gabriel was tying his boots, already fully clothed in his dark-grey trousers and a long-sleeved shirt he stole from Jack’s drawer. He glared at the other man, acknowledging he was awake, but lowered his eyes again just as soon.

“You’re leaving.” It wasn’t a question.

A long moment of silence followed, while the man roamed the room to gather the few things he possessed. He fastened the holster at his tight and took hold of his blaster, studying it for some moments. 

Jack continued. “Things may have been different at the beginning, I admit it, but I’m not your enemy, Gabriel… I never was.”

“You know nothing about me. Just… forget I ever existed in your life.” Was the monotone reply.

The blond seated on the bed, then stood from it, small shivers running down his bare skin as he made a step in his direction. “I never could, even if I wanted to.”

They shared a long intensive stare, pistol still tight in Gabe’s hand, arm lying at his side. 

“Goodbye Commander.” Jack words a airy whisper, barely audible.

“Goodbye Jack.”

And then the man stepped away, brushing his shoulder slightly. His stride was still uncertain, the pain in the bone not completely vanished yet apparently, as he crossed the Durasteel door and pressed it closed behind himself.

Jack gawked around, surveying the room, sighing loudly. His sight fell on the messy bed and on the nightstand beside it, where was placed his own weapon. He lazily went to sit on the bed again, picking the blaster up and passing his fingers over the details of the metal.

_You fucked up so hard Jack Morrison…_


	8. Chapter 8

He inhaled a large breath of the fragrant morning air from outside as the door shut at his back. Now it was time for Gabriel Reyes to collect all of his sharp senses and judgment.

He made a few tentative steps in the direction of the field in front of him, bracing himself with his gun prepared, its steel plate cold against his palm. It was tiring to walk like that, between the plans, on the irregular surface the ground formed. 

A few meters away and he stopped his erratic pace - he turned around to glance at the facility for the last time as he realized his eyes were tuning watery, strong feelings of indignation and misery clouding his mind.

How could a circumstance be so wrong and right at the same time? Gabriel had no fucking idea. It was heartbreaking and unnerving.

He was wasting time. He had to try to locate Reaper’s wreckage - there was a com in the cabin. If the fire hadn’t destroyed it, there was a possibility it could still be functioning. It was his only option at the moment, and his only hope.

He had no idea where direction the wreckage could be - only that it wasn’t far from his position. He started wandering more or less randomly, searching for footprints, a pathway, anything that could have helped him locate his fighter.

A long series of minutes passed, while a copious amount of tears was now wetting his face, sadness and helplessness messing his facial features as he trekked through the labyrinth of crops. He rubbed his eyes and cheeks with his sleeve, so incredibly frustrated to be stuck at a pace so slow that his nails had dug their way into his palms, drawing blood.

He shouldn’t be so broken, these feelings made no sense. Why did Jack’s lies burn so much inside his chest?

 

His melancholic line of thoughts was broken when he finally reached the road where he had landed. Reaper was there, pretty much in one piece apart from where the engine was located, on its back part. The wings were irredeemably damaged though, any hope to fly once more gone.

Just as he was cautiously approaching the vehicle someone suddenly tackled him from behind, making him fall and pushing the air away from his lungs. He hadn’t heard someone approaching until they surrounded him.

“I’ve got him, guys!” A strong, extremely loud and strongly accented voice threatened to break Gabe’s eardrums. A massive body was keeping him pinned on the ground, the side of his head pushed down in the dirt.

From that position he could barely make out their faces. He struggled vigorously trying to wriggle away when another voice spoke, rich and amused. “Nowhere to run now, partner.”

“Shut up, Jesse, and tie his wrists.” Gabriel recognized the voice of that woman, the one who had come to visit Jack at the facility the previous day.

He hissed furiously, doing his best to make the guy’s job as difficult as possible. “Mind staying still for a moment, please?”. Gabe replied with a strangled growl.

“You’ll have all the time in the world to stretch your thoughts and talk later, Imperial.” And in a swift unexpected movement she planted a needle in his tight, injecting the substance from a small vial. He gradually stopped moving as the stuff began flowing in his system, making his vision dark until he lost consciousness. 

\----

“Just let me talk to him, Ana. I’ll make him reason, I have to try!”

He was at main base, a large compound station, three quarters of which was hidden underground. He was in a bare room, only some old pieces of white furniture decorating the space. In addition to his interlocutor, who had her black hair tied in a bun and her arms crossed over her chest, inspecting Jack’s face with a piercing look, also Torbjorn, the head mechanic and Winston were present, each of them sit on a chair by the wall. 

“How about you start explaining to me what you were trying to achieve with this, Commander?” She disentangled her arms and pressed her palms on the large holographic table ahead of her. 

Jack hands clenched into fists as he pondered his thought for a while. “As soon as I realized he was an Imperial officer I suspected he could have had info we could have exploited for our cause. But we all know how they are: reckless, violent and stubborn - he would have never talked if he knew he was captive. I had underestimated his character and-”

Ana interrupted him, worry mixed with delusion in her voice. “And what Jack, what happened that made you think it was a good idea to completely hide him from us?”

The holograms from the table pulsed faintly, a blue and green light illuminating her elegant features.

“I… I was wrong about him. He has no loyalty for the Empire, he was just a soldier following orders.” He made a short pause. ”Weren’t we all?” Jack replied, his eyes drifting off.

“That is no excuse for his-”

“Weren’t we all, Ana?”. He searched for her brown eyes now, his attitude exasperated as he leaned on the table as well.

She was silent for a while, her stare gloomy. “Do you mind leaving us for a moment, Winston and Torbjorn?”

“No problem Lieutenant”, Winston replied as both stood. The door slid shut with a click behind their backs.

“He’s just an Imperial, Jack, an officer even - what makes him special?” She murmured, a phantom of disappointment creasing her brow. 

He passed a hand through his hair, fussing them even further. “I love him, I have no other excuses.” He replied shortly.

She fidgeted with her hands for a lot of time before eyeing him again, her stare resolute now. “I am no superiors of yours, Jack, I cannot keep you from seeing him. I only hope your heart hasn’t completely blurred your reason… He’s in cell number 053.”

“Thank you, Ana. I must try… I owe this to myself and to him. If he doesn’t give up, we’ll… decide what to do with him later.”

He smiled sincerely at her and left the room as well, heading in the direction of the detention area.

 

When he reached the room he had been told to go, he didn’t expect to find someone standing by the interrogatory glass window, a hand resting on his hips while the other scratched his short goatee.

“Jesse Mccree?”

“Oh Howdy, Commander.” He greeted, woken from his meditative state.

“What are you doing here?” Jack asked, screwing his eyebrows.

The youngster contemplated his thoughts for some seconds, glancing back at the prisoner beyond the mirror. “Mh, I have the distinct feeling I’ve seen this guys somewhere else, I’m confused at the moment... but since you’re here now, I can go thinking about it somewhere else. See ya, Commander”. He grinned uncomfortably and strayed away.

The kid was smart. “Thank you, Mccree.” Jack chuckled, momentarily amused by that display, then he turned around and pushed open the door behind which Gabriel was detained.

\----

As soon as the person stepped inside Gabe snapped his eyes open. “Let me go, this farce has kept going for too long!” 

When he realized it was none else than Jack himself his tone calmed a bit, but he still threw a fiery glance at the man. “Is this your order?”

The blond furrowed his light eyebrows, planting a pair of steps in the direction of the chair he was forced to sit on, his hands still tied behind his back.

“Not at all - I haven’t been at the HQ for weeks!” Jack replied, slightly indignant.

“It was the woman then. She’s the boss here, right?”

“Amari is my Lieutenant actually. And yes, in my absence she is the one in charge.”

Gabe tried to stretch his shoulders, that had been in pain for several hours now. “Can’t you release my wrists at least?”

Jack dropped his sight on the grey matte floor, stare intensifying when it came back to Gabe’s face.

“It depends on what you intend to do…” The man started, mouth turning into a thin line. “You don’t owe your obedience to your superior, nor to the Empire. Help the Alliance out, Gabe! I know you’d be a valid member of-”

He cut his words, voice loud and hurt. “You don’t seem to get it, uh? It just doesn’t work the way you say… How could these people ever trust me, and I trust them, when I’ve lived all my life being their enemy? How can I trust you? Tell me!” He lowered his gaze, clenching his teeth and squinting his eyes. He hissed from the pain in his upper-body, but the most of it came from his chest, as if thorns were piercing it from all directions.

He jerked a little when a palm settled on his cheek, fingers warm and calloused. 

“I trust you, Gabe. I know what you’re made of.”

“But how can I know what is true in between all the fabrications you duped me with?”

Jack knelt in front of him. “They weren’t all fabrications… I never lied to you when we talked about personal matters.”

“What about that family you told you lost, how could you made that up?!” Gabriel was shaking his head, trying to escape that pair of inviting blue gems.

“That wasn’t a lie, you idiot!” He planted a hand on his shoulder and shook it, losing his patience. “The only family I had was my squadron - I lost the majority of the members at the end of the war. I could save just a bunch of them, that now live here on Tanaab. My heart aches every time I have to send them in incognito mission, Force knows to which part of the Galaxy… I don’t wanna lose anyone else, Gabe, do you understand?”. A strangled sob came out of his throat and Gabe’s glare softened.

Jack lowered his head, releasing the grip on his shoulder but not dropping his hand yet. 

“That’s why I cannot let you go. I cannot lose you too, I need you by my side in this.” His watery eyes were earnest, passionate as they pierced their way to his soul. 

Some long ardent moments passed, while Gabe considered his reply. Was he ready to give up everything that belonged to his old life to start a new one, always on the run or hiding?

He raised his head again as Jack cupped his face with both hands, desperate for a reaction from him. Was he ready to give up the only man he had ever loved?

He cleared his voice and signed. “What about my mother and sisters? I can let them go…”

“We can get in contact with them, I’ll instruct our intelligence to do it. We’ll find a way to bring them here… but they’ll become undesired to the Empire.” He dropped his stare again. “If you decide to return to avoid to endanger them… I understand.”

A short pause and he added, “I’ll let you go.”

“What about your boys here? They’d never let you.” He supplied, wheezing out a breath over the blond tufts.

“They can try…”, a tiny chuckle ghosted over Jack’s mouth.

Gabriel pressed his lips to the man’s head, inhaling the rich scent from his freshly washed hair. He locked his eyes shut, the memory of the night they previously shared together coming back to him.

This decision could potentially menace his family, but then he realized his mother just couldn’t live with the notion he was dead. That was just as cruel, if not more.  
Plus, this could have been a perfect occasion to get his due revenge on the Colonel and his filthy kind. 

“Well I guess someone’s got to tell that kid that hat he wears is absolutely ridiculous.”

Jack smiled brightly at him, a single tear releasing from the inner corner of his eye, and then he claimed his mouth in a long delicate kiss. Gabriel ogled him, smiling faintly under his lips and then closed his eyes, letting go completely and relaxing in the other’s embrace.

“I’ve decided to trust you once more, Jack…”


	9. Epilogue

Gabriel had a hard time blending with the team at first, but eventually he became friends more or less with each member, earning their respect as time passed. Young Jesse Mcree took him as a role model, much to Jack and Ana’s despise. 

He participated in many space battles during the years, putting his abilities and talent in favor of the Alliance, fighting on a black-and-red X-Wing. His family had been transferred to a safe place, away from the Empire’s grip, more than happy to know he was alive and dedicating his life to a cause of liberty. 

At the Battle of Endor, that took place about 15 years after his first fortuitous meeting with Jack on Tanaab, he flew against the Imperial fleet, helping this comrades to defeat it. During those long years in fact, he had understood the Rebel’s cause, fully agreeing with what they stood for. 

Jack, now General Morrison, had been a fundamental strategist during the period that proceeded the fall of the Empire. He sat on various war tables, beside what was left of the Jedi order and the Alliance’s few other supporters. His resolution never faltered, even when he partially lost his sight during a ground operation on Hoth. 

The two of them never parted for too long, even though they had their individual responsibilities to tend to. After the Empire was defeated and the New Republic raised from its ashes, once in awhile Gabe found himself asking his partner to return to spent some time alone, just the two of them, at their old facility in the corn field. 

Jack happily agreed every time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, you arrived to the end, I can't believe it :')  
> Thank you so much for having read this little child of mine, I'm really grateful!
> 
> If you want to chit-chat here's my tumblr :) http://replica-004.tumblr.com/


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